There are several types of arrangements by which earrings are held to an earlobe. Earrings for pierced ears, for example, employ a post with a cap. Another arrangement involves a screw-threaded post, which can be tightened against the earlobe. Another common arrangement involves the use of a hinged arm of some type, wherein the arm, which is often spring-loaded, presses against the earlobe. In the latter case, the earring usually has two basic parts, an ornamental piece and the attachment mechanism including the arm, which is called an ear clip.
There are several drawbacks to such prior art ear clips. First, many prior art ear clips of the hinge type are made of a number of separate parts, and some of these necessarily small parts are rather complex. This significantly increases the cost of the mechanism. The amount of force exerted by the hinge-type clip is also a problem. Most prior art ear clips have one setting which is used by everyone regardless of earlobe thickness or individual preference. Hence, a prior art ear clip may be too tight and uncomfortable for some wearers and too loose for others. The former problem is particularly acute if the mechanism includes the usual spring-biasing means to help keep the arm in its closed setting against the earlobe.
A further drawback of the prior art ear clips of the hinged type is that the device lacks aesthetic appeal. Because of the number of parts, their sizes and shapes, the mechanism is neither symmetrical nor simple, which detracts from the earring's appearance.
Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide an earring or other piece of jewelry with an improved attachment clip.
Another object of the invention is to provide an ear clip for an earring which uses the frictional resistance between its parts to set and hold the positioning of its arm with respect to the earlobe as desired.
Another object of the invention is to provide an ear clip for an earring wherein the clip has few parts and is easy to manufacture.
Another object of the invention is to provide an ear clip for an earring wherein the main features of its moveable parts are enclosed and hidden from view.
Another object of the invention is to provide an ear clip for an earring, having a compact connection between its moving pieces.